Lowering device

ABSTRACT

A device for lowering a flat member from a first, upper level to a second, lower level in a storage magazine including a pair of opposed vertical side plates, each of which supports an inverted V-shaped cam and means facing inwardly of the side plates for receiving and supporting an essentially flat member thereon. Cam followers, associated with means for positioning a flat member on the opposed support means, cause vertical movement of the lowering device as they ride over the upwardly inclined surfaces of the inverted V-shaped cams, prior to reaching the apex of each cam, whereby the flat member is lowered in a planar vertical fashion. As the cam followers move over the downwardly sloping legs of the inverted V-shaped cams, the lowering device is returned, under the action of upwardly biasing spring means, to its initial position. The specific structure of the opposed support means enables the flat member to be gently deposited on a support in the lower level and permits the lowering device to be smoothly returned to its initial position without interference from other flat members stored in the magazine.

other 1 Feb. 8, 1972 [S4] LOW/EWING IDEVIHCE [72] lnventor: Gunter E. Becker, Manhattan Beach,

Calif.

[73] Assignee: Xerox Corporation, Stamford, Conn.

[22] Filed: Aug. 31, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 68,083

[52] U.S.Cl....... ..2l4/6 G, 27l/DlG. 7 [51 lint. Cl ...]B65g 57/112, 365g 60/00 [58] Field of Search ..2l4/6 G, 6 DK, 6 FA, 6 F;

353/112, 113; 27l/DlG. 7

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Att0mey.lames J. Ralabate, John E. Beck, Franklyn C. Weiss and Irving Keschner [57] ABSTRACT A device for lowering a flat member from a first, upper level to a second, lower level in a storage magazine including a pair of opposed vertical side plates, each of which supports an in verted V-shaped cam and means facing inwardly of the side plates for receiving and supporting an essentially flat member thereon. Cam followers, associated with means for positioning a flat member on the opposed support means, cause vertical movement of the lowering device as they ride over the upwardly inclined surfaces of the inverted V-shaped cams, prior to reaching the apex of each cam, whereby the flat member is lowered in a planar vertical fashion. As the cam followers move over the downwardly sloping legs of the inverted V- shaped cams, the lowering device is returned, under the action of upwardly biasing spring means, to its initial position. The specific structure of the opposed support means enables the flat member to be gently deposited on a support in the lower level and permits the lowering device to be smoothly returned to its initial position without interference from other flat members stored in the magazine.

20 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures PATENTEI] FEB 8 I972 SHE-T10? 3 I I l *4 I 19 H iii- 5 mmdos PATEMEU FM 8 i972 SHEET 3 0F 3 LOWERING DEVICE BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIGN This invention relates to the filed of xerography and, more particularly, to a device for lowering a flat xerographic plate in a plate storage magazine associated with an automated flatplate xerographic processing system.

In the xerographic process as described in Carlson U.S. Pat. No. 2,297,69l a baseplate of relatively low electrical resistance, such as metal, having a photoconductive insulator layer coated thereon is .electrostatically charged in the dark. The charged coating is then exposed to a light image. The charges leak off rapidly to the base plate in proportion to the intensity of light to which any given area is exposed, the charge being substantially retained in nonexposed areas. After such exposure, the coating is contacted with electroscopic marking particles in the dark. When forming a positive image, these particles adhere to the areas where the electrostatic charges remain whereby there is formed a xerographic powder image corresponding to the latent electrostatic image. The powder image can then be transferred to a sheet of transfer material resulting in a positive print having excellent detail and quality. Alternatively, when the baseplate is relatively inexpensive, as in the case of paper, it may be desirable to fix the powder image directly to the plate itself and thereby eliminate the image transfer operation.

The art of xerography, as briefly described above, is also amenable to recording X-ray patterns such as might be attained by passing X-rays through a body to be analytically examined. The art of X-ray recording by xerography, generally known as xeroradiography, relates to the recording of X-ray patterns and information by means of materials and devices whose electrical conductivity is altered by the action of X-rays reaching the recording medium. In xeroradiography, the plate or element exposed to the X-ray pattern usually comprises a metallic backing sheet having a photoconductive insulator layer or coating, for example vitreous selenium, on one surface thereof. It is conventional to cover or protect the photoconductive coating from ambient light by a slide plate, usually called a dark slide, spaced from the photoconductive surface. The plate or element is sensitized by applying a uniform electrostatic charge to the coating and thereafter the charged plate is exposed to sensitizing radiation with the object to be examined appropriately interposed between the radiation source and the sensitized plate. Under influence of the X-rays emanating from the source which are differentially absorbed by different areas of the test body, but which readily pass through the dark slide, the photoconductive coating becomes electrically conductive in those portions reached by the sensitizing radiation, thereby permitting portions of the electrostatic charge thereon to be selectively dissipated. Dissipation of the electrostatic charge is proportional to the amount of radiation absorbed by the test body with greater dissipation occurring in those portions of the coating shaded by less absorptive portions of the object being radiographed. In this manner, an electrostatic latent image of the test body is formed on the photoconductive element. The image may then be made visible with an electroscopic marking material which clings to the electrostatically charged portions of the latent image. Reversible, or negative, prints can also be developed by contacting the latentelectrostatic image with marking particles of the same polarity. The xeroradiographic process is disclosed, for example, in Schaffert et al. U.S. Pat. No. 2,666,144.

It has previously been recognized that xeroradiography can be applied to the filed of medical diagnostics. For example, the xeroradiographic process when utilized to examine extremities, such as hands and feet, has been characterized as being a valuable diagnostic technique since more information is recorded on the 'xeror'adiogram than is recorded on a corresponding radiogramfi In recent years, the xeforadiographic technique has been utilized in the early detection and diagnosis of breast cancer in women. The process, known as xeromammography, has been described as requiring less radiation than nonscreen film radiology, and one which gives greater detail in the mammogram to be reviewed by the radiologist. Additionally, a most important advantage is in the increased ease and speed of interpretation of the xeromammogram. Because they are easier to interpret and, accordingly, reduce the fatigue on the examining radiologist thereby increasing his overall effectiveness, the technique is believed to have application in screening techniques for the early detection of breast cancer.

In application Ser. No. 874,747, filed Nov. 7, I969, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention, there is described an automated flat-plate xerographic processing system including charging means for placing a uniform electrostatic charge on the photoconductive surface of a xerographic plate, means for holding a lighttight cassette into which the xerographic plate can be inserted, means for opening the cassette and for inserting the charged xerographic plate therein without exposing the charged plate to actinic electromagnetic radiation, means for receiving the xerographic plate-holding cassette after imaging exposure, the xerographic plate having thereon a latent electrostatic image suitable for subsequent development, means for opening the cassette and for withdrawing the latent electrostatc imagebearing xerographic plate from the cassette without further exposure of the xerographic plate to actinic electromagnetic radiation, means for developing the latent electrostatic image to form a reproduction thereof suitable for visual examination, and means for advancing the xerographic plate to the developing means without disturbing the latent electrostatic image thereon. In this system, exposure of the uniformly charged xerographic plate takes place outside of the xerographic processing apparatus. This feature enables the radiologist, when considering medical examination, to selectively position a patient, and particularly those portions of the patients body being examined, with respect to the radiation source and the xerographic plate. To permit such exposure outside the processing apparatus, the processing system described in the aforementioned copending application includes a lighttight cassette into which the uniformly charged xerographic plate is inserted and through which imaging exposure is made. To complete the xerographic processing cycle, the toner image on the photoconductive surface of the xerographic plate is transferred to a suitable support member. This is generally achieved by withdrawing a single support sheet from a supply tray, transporting it to a point where it is in registration with the xerographic plate having the powder image thereon, transferring the powder image to the support sheet, and transporting the support sheet with the powder image thereon to fuser means from which the xerographic reproduction is advanced into a receiving tray. When using a nonreusable photoconductive element (such as zinc oxide coated paper), the need to transfer the powder image to a further support sheet is eliminated.

In the aforementioned copending application, the xerographic plate is transported through two separate processing units. In the unit wherein conditioning and electrostatic charging of the xerographic plate takes place, there is provided, between the conditioning means and the electrostatic charging means, a magazine for the storage of a plurality of conditioned xerographic plates. As shown therein, the plate transport mechanisms adapted to withdraw the xerographic plate from the conditioning means and to insert the conditioned xerographic plate into the magazine, and the device for lowering the conditioned xerographic plate within the magazine are distinct and separate units. Occasionally, these units fail to function together properly and/or the xerographic plate is not properly transferred to the magazine lowering device with the result that the plate jams, or is otherwise improperly impeded in its movement within the magazine. It is, therefore, desirable to have an improved transport and lowering mechanism which smoothly and with jam-avoiding accuracy converts horizontal plate motion into vertical plate motion followed by the gentle release of the plate onto a variable number of stacked plates.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide an improved device for lowering a flat xerographic plate in a storage magazine associated with an automated flatplate xerographic processing system.

lt is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved deice for gently lowering a flat member onto a stack of flat members which can vary in number from O to a predetermined maximum.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved device for lowering a flat xerographic plate onto a stack of xerographic plates where there is a smooth conversion from horizontal plate motion into vertical plate motion.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved device for lowering a flat xerographic plate onto a stack of xerographic plates wherein the horizontal motion of the plate transport mechanism is mechanically linked with the vertical motion of the lowering device.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved device for lowering a flat xerographic plate onto a stack of xerographic plates of variable height wherein the device is upwardly biased and caused to move in a downward direction under the influence of a cam follower attached to the mechanism which transports the plate in the horizontal direction.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an improved device for lowering a flat xerographic plate onto a stack of xerographic plates wherein return of the lowering device to its initial position resets the device whereby it will be ready to receive, support and lower the xerographic plate presented thereto during the next processing cycle.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device for lowering a xerographic plate onto a stack of xerographic plates having variable height, said lowering device having improved means for supporting the xerographic plate as it is being lowered onto the stack and which are automatically returned to its rest position during the upward movement of the lowering device whereby the plate support means will be ready to receive and support the xerographic plate presented thereto during the following processing cycle.

These and still further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent upon consideration of the following detailed disclosure.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION These and still further objects of the present invention are achieved, in accordance therewith, by providing a lowering device comprising a pair of opposed, vertical side plates, each of these side plates having an inverted V-shaped cam secured to the outer vertical surfaces thereof, means connected to the side plates and facing inwardly of the side plates for receiving and supporting a flat xerographic plate thereon, means to upwardly bias the opposed vertical side plates, means to trans port a flat xerographic plate in a first direction along a horizontal path until the xerographic plate is positioned between the side plates and supported by the support means, cam follower means connected to the transport means, the cam follower means adapted to travel past the inverted V- shaped cam without causing vertical movement of the side plates and the plate support means secured thereto as the xerographic plate is being positioned on the support means, means to reverse the direction of travel of the transport means, said reversal causing the cam follower means to move over the upper, sloped surfaces of the inverted V-shaped cam whereby, until the cam follower means reaches the apex of the inverted cam, the xerographic plate supported by the support means is lowered in a planar, vertical fashion and deposited on the upper surface of the bottom wall of the storage magazine or on the uppermost xerographic plate in a stack of plates, as the case may be, and, as the cam follower means moves over the downward leg of the inverted cam, the plate support means is returned, under the action of the upwardly biasing means, to its initial, rest position.

As the plate support means is being lowered, under the action of the cam follower means riding on the inclined surface of the inverted V-shaped cam, the xerographic plate being supported thereby is deposited on the uppermost xerographic plate on a stack of xerographic plates or on the upper surface of the bottom wall of the storage magazine. The plate support means comprises a pair of pivotally mounted members, one associated with each side plate. Each member has a flat horizontal surface extending inwardly of the storage magazine. It is this pair of horizontal surfaces which initially receive the xerographic plate and then support the plate as it is being lowered within the storage magazine. From the edges of the support members which are most closely adjacent each other across the storage magazine, a beveled surface slopes downwardly toward the outside of the storage magazine. As a xerographic plate is being lowered, the beveled surfaces will come in contact with the uppermost plate on the stack or, alternatively, the upper surface of the bottom wall of the storage magazine. This will cause the support members, which have their respective pivot points above the horizontal surface, to be pivoted outwardly whereby the plate being lowered will be gently released onto the floor of the magazine or the uppermost xerographic plate in the stack, as the case may be. Since the support members are not continuously urged into the plate-receiving position (i.e., they stay in deflected positions), continued movement of the device in the downward direction will not be impeded as the support members have been rotated to a position where they will not interfere with or contact previously deposited plates.

The action of the cam follower means moving over the first leg of the inverted cam causes the plate support means to be lowered to the bottom of the storage magazine during each cycle, The bottom wall of the magazine is slightly wider than the xerographic plates which are to be deposited thereon. As the plate support means come in contact with those portions of the bottom wall, on opposed sides of the storage magazine, which extend beyond the xerographic plate width, each support member is further pivoted to the outside whereby, during upward movement of the side plates and the plate support means, it is positively assured that the innermost edges of the support members will not come in contact with any xerographic plates stacked within the storage magazine.

Adjacent the upper surface of each plate support member, at a point upwardly and to the outside of the pivot point, there is a movable actuator having an L-shaped leg at the uppermost portion thereof. As the side plates are moved upwardly, each L-shaped portion contacts a stationary pin. This causes each actuator to contact the upper surface of each plate support member in such a manner that the lower portion of each plate support member is rotated toward the inner portion of the storage magazine (i.e., back to its initial, rest position). A horizontal pin, associated with each support member, prevents the support member from moving past the position where the plate support surface is horizontal.

In the presently preferred embodiment, the downwardly sloping leg of the inverted V-shaped cam, which is contacted by the cam follower means after the cam follower means has reached the apex of the inverted cam, is terminated at a point above the lowermost extension of the upwardly sloping cam leg. This feature enables the lowering device to move free of the restraint imposed by the cam follower means during the last portion of its upward movement toward the rest position. Under the urging of the upwardly biasing means, the resetting actuator associated with each plate support member is caused to strike against the associated resetting pin with sufficient force to positively assure that each plate support member is rotated back to the rest position.

It is thus seen that by using cam follower means associated with the horizontally moving plate transfer means, horizontal plate motion is smoothly converted into vertical plate motion at the appropriate time in the xerographic plate transporting process. Additionally, since the side plates and the plate support means secured thereto are normally biased upwardly into the rest or home position, the coupling of the vertical motion to the horizontal motion of the plate transport means, by means of the inverted V-shaped cam and the cam follower means, causes the device to be gradually and evenly returned to the home position if desired. Or, as described above, by shortening the return leg of the inverted cam, and thus shortening the interaction of the cam follower means with the cam during the return movement of the plate support means, more positive resetting of the plate support means in the horizontal, plate-receiving position is attained.

The specific design of the plate support means, particularly the design of the opposed plate support members, which are so positioned as to be pivoted by any xerographic plates stacked within the magazine and by the bottom wall of the storage magazine, enables the xerographic plate supported thereby to be gently deposited onto a stack of plates of variable height or the bottom wall, as the case may be. Because this release is triggered by the outer edges of the surface onto which the xerographic plate being lowered is to be deposited, inadvertent damage to the xerographic plate, as by dropping, is avoided.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The nature of the invention will be more easily understood when it is considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view of that portion of an automated xerographic processing unit employing the xerographic plate lowering device of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of that portion of the auto mated xerographic processing unit shown in FIG. 1, taken along line 22 of FIG. 1, this Figure showing the inverted V- shaped cam, 'and the shuttle plate, and elements supported thereby, on the opposite side of the path of xerographic plate travel into the magazine from the inverted V-shaped cam to better show the position of the shuttle plate-supported cam follower means immediately prior to the lowering of the xerographic plate by virtue of the cam follower riding over the upper surfaces of the inverted V-shaped cam after reversal of direction of the plate transporting mechanism;

FIG. 3 is a side sectional view of that portion of the automated xerographic processing unit shown in FIG. 1 taken along line 22 of FIG. 1, showing the lowering device essentially in its lowermost position as the cam followers approach the apex of each of the opposed, inverted V-shaped cams;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the unit of FIG. 1 taken along line 44 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 5-5 of FIG. 2 showing the positioning of one of the opposed plate support members as a xerographic plate is being positioned thereon;

FIG. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along line 66 of FIG. 3 showing the position of one of the opposed plate support members after it has deposited the xerographic plate within the storage magazine; and

FIG. 7 shows the means by which the plate support member of FIGS. 5 and 6 is reset to its FIG. 5 position upon upward movement of the lowering device to its home position.

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, there is seen a xerographic processing unit 10 having side frames 12 and end frame 14. At the right-hand portion of processing unit 10 there is a magazine 16 in which a plurality of xerographic plates 18 can be stored. Magazine 16 has sidewalls 20 parallel to the direction of xerographic plate travel into the magazine, sidewall 22 perpendicular, and below, the path of xerographic plate travel into the magazine, and rear wall 24. Secured to wall 22 of magazine 16 is a bracket 23 mounted on transverse support connected at each end to side frames 12. Magazine 16 can have additional supports, for example, rear wall 24 can be downwardly extended as at 27 and appropriately mounted on support 29. To assist in the proper channeling of the xerographic plate into the magazine, there are inwardly sloping tabs 26 at each of the four comers of the magazine, Magazine 16 also has a bottom wall or surface 28 which supports the xerographic plates when they are positioned within the magazine. As can best be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, each sidewall 20 is sectioned into two portions 30 and 32 which define a gap 34 therebetween. As will be described below, plate support members, external to the magazine, extend into these gaps, 0n opposed sides of the magazine, to support a xerographic plate as it is being lowered within the magazine.

A xerographic plate transporting mechanism is utilized for withdrawing a flat xerographic plate from a pickup station (i.e., a first terminal position) and transporting the xerographic plate, possibly through intermediate processing stations, to the magazine. The salient features of a suitable plate transporting mechanism are shown in FIGS. 1-4 hereof and are more completely described in copending application Ser. No. 68,098 filed concurrently herewith and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Portions of said copending application which are necessary for a complete understanding of the present invention, or to provide sufficient disclosure to understand the functional cooperation of the present invention with the plate transporting mechanism described therein, are incorporated herein by reference.

As described in said copending application, the plate transporting mechanism includes opposed, vertical shuttle plates 36 positioned in the space between sidewalls 20 and upper portion 38 of side frame 12 on each side of the xerographic processing unit. Adjacent the upper portion of magazine 16 there is a pair of sprocket wheels 40 connected together by drive shaft 42 and having drive chains 44 passing about the periphery thereof. In the pickup station, the drive chains pass about another pair of opposed sprocket wheels connected together by a further drive shaft. The plate transporting mechanism is caused to move between the two terminal positions, in a manner described in the aforementioned copending application, by means of a unidirectional motor supported out of the plane of xerographic plate travel into magazine 16 and appropriately connected to one of the drive shafts at either the pickup station or the magazine.

To synchronize the horizontal motion of the plate transporting mechanism with the vertical motion of the lowering device, each shuttle plate 36 has, adjacent the leading edge thereof, an arm 46 mounted for pivotal movement about pivot point 48. Arm 46 is normally urged upwardly against vertical surface 50 of shuttle plate 36 by means of spring 52 until short horizontal leg 54 contacts surface 50 and stops the upward rotation of arm 46. At the end of arm 46 most remote from the shuttle plate is a grooved cam follower 56 mounted for sliding, rotational movement as it passes over the upper surfaces of the inverted V-shaped cam means, to be described below. Arm 46, on each shuttle plate, is slightly angled downwardly so the point about which cam follower 56 rotates is below pivot point 48. When the cam follower on each arm comes in contact with the inner (i.e., lower) surfaces of the cam means, prior to reversal of direction of the plate transporting mechanism in the magazine station, each arm will be rotated downwardly, thereby enabling the cam followers to pass, without jamming, over the contacted surfaces as they move toward the extreme terminal position, for example, as shown in FIG. 2.

0n opposed sides of the magazine, in a direction parallel to the direction of xerographic plate travel into the magazine, and also in the space between sidewalls 20 and the' upper portion 38 of side frames 12, the lowering device of the present invention includes vertical side plates 60 connected together by horizontal support 62, above the path of xerographic plate travel into the magazine, and horizontal support 64 which is also connected to end portions 66 of vertical side plates 60. Horizontal support 64 and end portions 66 are positioned to move vertically outside of magazine 16, Le, slightly to the right of magazine wall 24. Horizontal support 64 has a bentaround, U-shaped portion 68, and mounted adjacent the lower portion of the side frames of the lowering device is a further U-shaped support 70, each of which have a circular hole 72 passing through both legs thereof. Vertical shaft 74 is rigidly mounted to support 29 essentially midway between sidewalls of magazine 16. The side frame of the lowering device of the present invention is so positioned that shaft 74 passes through holes 72 in both legs of U-shaped brackets 64 and 70 whereby the lowering device is partially guided in its vertical movement by vertical shaft 74. Lateral movement of the side frame of the lowering device is prevented by means of rollers 76 supported by end portions 66 and adapted to ride against vertical guides 78 during vertical movement of the lowering device.

The lowering device is normally urged into the uppermost position by negator springs 80 each having spring web 82 secured to arm 84 on U-shaped bracket 70 adjacent point 86. Thus, under the action of negator springs 80, the lowering device of the present invention will normally be in the position as shown in FIG. 2. Other upwardly urging springs can be utilized, if desired.

Mounted on each vertical side plate 60 is an inverted V- shaped cam 90 having a longer first leg 92, apex 94 and a shorter second leg 96. First leg 92 has lower surface 98 and upper surface 100 and shorter leg 96 has upper surface 102 all adapted to be contacted by cam follower means 56 as the plate transporting mechanism moves into the magazine, reverses direction within the magazine and moves out of the magazine (i.e., toward the xerographic plate pickup station).

Also supported by each vertical side plate 60 is a plate support member 104 pivotally mounted on bracket 106 appropriately secured to side plate 60. Each plate support member 104 has an upper portion 108 which is secured to bracket 106 adjacent pivot point 110, as can best be seen in FIGS. 57. Each plate support member has an inwardly and downwardly extending leg 112 terminating in an inwardly extending horizontal platform 114 which, in turn, has an outwardly and downwardly extending beveled surface 116. Spring washer means 118, adjacent upper portion 108 of each plate support member 104, as can best be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, retain the plate support member in the position which it is caused to attain during the operation of the lowering device of the present invention. That is, since the plate support members are not spring urged into a particular position and are not mounted to be freely rotatable, they will remain in a particular position until they are moved to a different position as they contact a xerographic plate, on the top of a stack of xerographic plates in the magazine, or the bottom wall 28 of the storage magazine, as can be seen in FIG. 6, or are caused to be rotated, upon upward movement of the lowering device, into the position as shown in FIG. 7.

When the shuttle plates 36 on opposed sides of the xerographic processing unit reach magazine 16, arms 46 pass beneath cam means 90 at the same time that the xerographic plate is being deposited, in the manner described in the aforementioned copending application, upon the horizontal portions 114 of plate support members 104. That is, as the plateengaging pawls, adjacent each corner of the xerographic plate, are being rotated, by stationary cam means adjacent the magazine, out of engagement with the corresponding recesses in the xerographic plate, and the xerographic plate, now supported solely by plate support members 104, is being nudged further into the magazine by means of downwardly depending arms 120 on positioner means 122 adjacent the trailing edge of the xerographic plate, each arm 46 will contact inner surface 98 of leg 92 and will be deflected downwardly as the shuttle plates move toward the extreme terminal position. Shortly before the shuttle plates reach the extreme terminal position, arms 46, and the cam followers thereon, proceed past the end of leg 92 and, since they no longer engage any surface, spring 52 rotate each arm 46 upwardly until horizontal legs 54 contact surfaces 50 on shuttle plate 36.

After the shuttle plates have reversed direction, as fully described in the aforementioned copending application, cam followers 56 ride over the upper surface 100 of each inverted V-shaped cam and, since the plate transporting mechanism is not free to move vertically, the lowering device of the present invention is caused to move downwardly as the plate transporting mechanism moves out of the magazine (i.e., to the left, for example as shown in FIG. 3). In this regard, reference should be had to FIG. 3 which shows the downward movement of the lowering device and, more specifically, essentially the extreme downward movement which happens as cam followers 56 reach the apex 94 of each cam means 90. As the lowering device is lowered by the movement of plate transporting mechanism out of the magazine station, the xerographic plate supported thereby is deposited on the top xerographic plate in a stack of xerographic plates or on the bottom wall 28 of the magazine. The manner in which this happens is more particularly described in FIGS. 5-7.

Referring to FIGS. 5-7, as the xerographic plate 18 is deposited by the plate-transporting mechanism onto portion 114 of plate support members 104, plate support members 104 are not free to rotate because of the relatively tight engagement created by spring washers 118. As the xerographic plate is being lowered, by the action of cam followers 56 riding on surfaces of inverted V-shaped earns 90, as described above, beveled surface 116, on each plate support member 104, will eventually come into contact with the adjacent, uppermost edge of a xerographic plate or the outer surface 124 of the bottom wall of the storage magazine. Because of the beveled nature of surface 116, each plate support member 104 is caused to rotate outwardly of the storage magazine whereby the xerographic plate is gently deposited on the top of the stack or on the bottom wall of the magazine, as the case may be. The bottom wall of the magazine is slightly wider than the xerographic plates which are to be deposited thereon. As the plate support means come in contact therewith, each support member is further pivoted to the outside whereby, during upward movement of the side plates and the plate support means, it is positively assured that the innermost edges of the support members will not come in contact with any xerographic plate stacked within the storage magazine. Each plate support member 104 retains its attained position until positively acted upon by some element or member external thereto. After cam follower means 56 have reached the apex 94 of each inverted V-shaped cam 90, the cam follower rides over surface 102 of downwardly sloping leg 96. This permits the lowering device to be gradually returned to its home position under the action of springs 80. Leg 96, however, is somewhat shorter than leg 92 whereby, during the last portion of the upward movement of the lowering device, it moves free of any restraint. This unrestrained movement permits resetting actuator 126 having upper horizontal leg 127 and lower horizontal leg 128 adjacent the upper portion of plate support member 104 to contact resetting pin 131 with sufficient force to reset plate support member 104 into its home position, as shown in FIG. 7 whereby it will be ready to receive the next successively advanced xerographic plate, for example, as shown in FIG. 5. Horizontal pins 130, mounted on bracket 106, prevent the plate support member from being rotated past the position where plate-receiving surface 114 is horizontal.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that by using cam follower means associated with the horizontally moving plate transport means, the horizontal motion of the xerographic plate, as it is being advanced into the magazine, is smoothly converted into vertical plate motion, within the magazine, at the appropriate time in the plate transporting process. Furthermore, the use of an inverted V-shaped cam means permits the xerographic plate to be gradually lowered and deposited within the magazine and the lowering device to be smoothly and gradually returned to its rest, or home, position. Optionally, the return legs on the inverted V-shaped cams can be shortened to cause the resetting actuators to hit stationary means to reset the plate support members in the horizontal position ready to receive the next xerographic plate as it is advanced into the magazine.

Appropriate microswitches can be provided to stop the plate transporting mechanism at any desired home position after a single cycle, after all the xerographic plates have been withdrawn from a storage box at the pickup station and transported to the magazine. or after the magazine is filled with a predetermined number of xerographic plates. Microswitches can also be provided adjacent magazine 16 to determine the number of xerographic plates within the magazine. For exam ple, switch 132 will have its arm 134 depressed when at least one xerographic plate is within the magazine. Arm 136 on switch 138 will be depressed when a greater number, for example three plates as shown, are in the magazine and, arm 140 on switch 142 will be depressed when the magazine is filled with the entire complement of plates which can be stored therein.

Magazine 16 has a slot 144 in the lower portion of each sidewall portion 30. It is through these slots that plate-engaging means 146, supported by shuttle plates 148, engage the xerographic plate when it is being withdrawn from the magazine. Plate transporting mechanism 150, including vertical shuttle plates 148 and plate-engaging means 146, adjacent the lower portion of magazine 16 is a modified form of the plate transporting mechanism more particularly described in application Ser. No. 68,098 filed concurrently herewith.

In describing the present invention, it should be understood that, with regard to FIGS. 2, 3 and 7, only one-half of the lowering device, and/or the plate support members, have been shown. The corresponding elements on the opposite side of the magazine are, in this particular embodiment, mirror images of the elements more particularly described in the aforementioned Figures.

Although the lowering device of the present invention can be adapted for use in connection with any flat-plate xerographic system, it has been particularly designed for use in conjunction with an automated xerographic processing system of the type described in application Ser. No. 874,834, filed Nov. 7, 1969, and assigned to the assignee of the present invention. Portions of this copending application which are necessary for a complete understanding of the present invention are incorporated herein by reference.

While the invention has been described with reference to a specific embodiment thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and detail may be made without departing from the true spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly, all equivalent embodiments, substitutions, additions and/or modifications of the present invention, or to which the present invention is readily susceptible, without departing from the true spirit and scope of this disclosure are considered part of the present invention.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for lowering a flat member from a first, upper level of a second, lower level in a magazine for the storage ofa plurality of like flat members, said device comprising a pair of opposed vertical side plates, at least one of said side plates having cam means secured to the outer vertical surface thereof, said cam means having an apex and a downwardly depending leg on each side of said apex, means connected to said side plates and facing inwardly of said side plates for receiving and supporting an essentially flat member thereon, means to upwardly bias said opposed vertical side plates, means to transport the flat member in a first direction along a horizontal path until the flat member is positioned between said plates and supported by said support means, cam follower means connected to said transport means, said cam follower means adapted to travel past said cam means without causing vertical movement of said side plates and said support means secured thereto as the flat member is being positioned on said support means, means to reverse the direction of travel of said transport means, said reversal causing said cam follower means to engage the upper surfaces of said legs whereby, until said cam follower means reaches said apex of said cam means, the flat member supported by said support means is lowered in a planar, vertical fashion and deposited on the upper surface of the bottom wall of the storage magazine or on the uppermost flat member in a stack of flat members and, as said cam follower means rides over the upper surface of said downwardly depending leg of said cam means reached after passing said apex, said side plates and said flat member support means secured thereto are returned, under the action of said upwardly biasing means, to their initial position.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein each of said cam means comprises an inverted, substantially V-shaped cam.

3. The device of claim 1 wherein cam means are secured to each of said opposed vertical side plates.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein the leg of said cam means which permits sad device to be returned to its initial position is terminated at a point above the lowermost point of the other of said legs whereby, during the last portion of vertical movement of said device, said device moves free of restraint from said cam follower means.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said support means comprises a pair of opposed support members, each support member being pivotally mounted on the side plate adjacent thereto.

6. The device of claim 5 wherein each of said support members are frictionally supported such that said support members are not rotated downwardly when a flat member is positioned thereon and will remain in a deflected position until reset to the receiving position by means external thereto.

7. The device of claim 5 wherein each of said support members has a flat member-receiving surface for supporting opposed portions of a flat member placed in position thereon.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the point about which each support member pivots is above said flat member-receiving surface.

9. The device of claim 8 wherein each support means has a beveled surface extending outwardly of the storage magazine from the innermost edge of said flat member-receiving surface, said beveled surface adapted to contact the adjacent edge of the uppermost flat member in a stack of flat members and/or the adjacent edge of the bottom wall of the storage magazine and to be rotated thereby outwardly of the storage magazine whereby the flat member supported thereby is gently released onto the uppermost flat member in the stack or the bottom wall of the storage magazine.

10. The device of claim 9 further including movable actuator means supported by said side plate adjacent each support member, the lower portion of each of said actuator means adapted to contact the upper portion of each of said support members adjacent thereto above and to the outside of the point about which said support member pivots, whereby, when said actuator means is caused by means external thereto to come in contact with the upper portion of said support member, the support member will be rotated inwardly toward the storage magazine and said flat member-receiving surface thereof will be horizontally positioned.

11. The device of claim 10 further including means to limit the inward rotation of each of said support members whereby said flat member-receiving surface is prevented from rotating past the horizontal, receiving position.

12. The device of claim 1 wherein each of said cam follower means is free to rotate downwardly from the horizontal when said cam follower means contacts the lowermost portion of said cam means as said transport means moves in said first direction.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein each of said cam follower means has a groove therein, each of said cam means has a tongue associated therewith, each of said cam follower means adapted to contact said cam means adjacent thereto whereby said tongue falls within said groove during movement of said cam follower means over said cam means.

14. The device of claim 1 further including vertical guide means to guide the vertical movement of said lowering device as said cam follower means engage the adjacent surfaces of said cam means.

15. The device of claim 1 wherein said essentially flat member comprises a xerographic plate.

ill

16. The device of claim 1 wherein said essentially flat member comprises a xerographic plate having a pair of side rails secured to opposite edge portions thereof.

17. A device for lowering a flat member from a flrst, upper level to a second, lower level in a magazine for the storage of a plurality of like flat members, said device comprising a pair of opposed vertical side plates, each of said side plates having an inverted, substantially V-shaped cam secured to the outer vertical surfaces thereof, means connected to said side plates and facing inwardly of said side plates for receiving and supporting an essentially flat member thereon, means to upwardly bias said opposed vertical side plates, means to transport the flat member in a first direction along a horizontal path until the flat member is positioned between said side plates and supported by said support means, cam follower means connected to said transport means, said cam follower means adapted to travel past said inverted cam without causing vertical movement of said side plates and said support means secured thereto as the flat member is being positioned on said support means, means to reverse the direction of travel of said transport means, said reversal causing said cam follower means to engage the upper, sloped surfaces of said inverted cam whereby, until said cam follower means reaches the apex of said inverted cam, the flat member supported by said support means is lowered in a planar, vertical fashion and deposited on the upper surface of the bottom wall of the storage magazine or on the uppermost flat member in a stack of flat members and, as said cam follower means moves over the downwardly sloping leg of said inverted cam, said side plates and said flat member support means secured thereto are returned, under the action of said upwardly biasing means, to their initial position.

18. The device of claim 17 wherein said support means comprises a pair of opposed support members, each support member being pivotally mounted on the side plate adjacent thereto such that said support members are not rotated downwardly when a flat member is positioned thereon and remain in deflected positions until reset to the flat memberreceiving position by means external thereto, each of said support members having a flat member-receiving surface for supporting opposed portions of a flat member placed in position thereon, the point about which each support member pivots being above said flat member-receiving surface, each support member having a beveled surface extending outwardly of the storage magazine from the innermost edge of said flat member-receiving surface, said beveled surface adapted to contact the adjacent edge of the uppermost flat member in a stack of flat members and/or the adjacent edge of the bottom wall of the storage magazine and to be rotated thereby outwardly of the storage magazine whereby the flat member supported thereby is gently released onto the uppermost flat member in the stack or the bottom wall of the storage magazine. I

19. The device of claim 18 further including movable actuator means supported by said side plate adjacent each support member, the lower portion of each of said actuator means adapted to contact the upper portion of each of said support members adjacent thereto above and to the outside of the point about which said support member pivots, whereby, when said actuator means is caused by the upward movement of said device to come in contact with the upper portion of said support member, the support member will be rotated inwardly toward the storage magazine and said flat memberreceiving surface will be horizontally positioned, and means for limiting the inward rotation of each of said support members whereby said flat member-receiving surface is prevented from rotating past the horizontal, receiving position.

20. The device of claim 17 wherein the leg of said inverted cam which permits said device to be returned to its initial position is terminated at a point above the lowermost point of the other leg, whereby, during the last portion of the vertical movement of said device, said device moves free of restraint from said cam follower means.

* i i i 

1. A device for lowering a flat member from a first, upper level to a second, lower level in a magazine for the storage of a plurality of like flat members, said device comprising a pair of opposed vertical side plates, at least one of said side plates having cam means secured to the outer vertical surface thereof, said cam means having an apex and a downwardly depending leg on each side of said apex, means connected to said side plates and facing inwardly of said side plates for receiving and supporting an essentially flat member thereon, means to upwardly bias said opposed vertical side plates, means to transport the flat member in a first direction along a horizontal path until the flat member is positioned between said plates and supported by said support means, cam follower means connected to said transport means, said cam follower means adapted to travel past said cam means without causing vertical movement of said side plates and said support means secured thereto as the flat member is being positioned on said support means, means to reverse the direction of travel of said transport means, said reversal causing said cam follower means to engage the upper surfaces of said legs whereby, until said cam follower means reaches said apex of said cam means, the flat member supported by said support means is lowered in a planar, vertical fashion and deposited on the upper surface of the bottom wall of the storage magazine or on the uppermost flat member in a stack of flat members and, as said cam follower means rides over the upper surface of said downwardly depending leg of said cam means reached after passing said Apex, said side plates and said flat member support means secured thereto are returned, under the action of said upwardly biasing means, to their initial position.
 2. The device of claim 1 wherein each of said cam means comprises an inverted, substantially V-shaped cam.
 3. The device of claim 1 wherein cam means are secured to each of said opposed vertical side plates.
 4. The device of claim 1 wherein the leg of said cam means which permits sad device to be returned to its initial position is terminated at a point above the lowermost point of the other of said legs whereby, during the last portion of vertical movement of said device, said device moves free of restraint from said cam follower means.
 5. The device of claim 1 wherein said support means comprises a pair of opposed support members, each support member being pivotally mounted on the side plate adjacent thereto.
 6. The device of claim 5 wherein each of said support members are frictionally supported such that said support members are not rotated downwardly when a flat member is positioned thereon and will remain in a deflected position until reset to the receiving position by means external thereto.
 7. The device of claim 5 wherein each of said support members has a flat member-receiving surface for supporting opposed portions of a flat member placed in position thereon.
 8. The device of claim 7 wherein the point about which each support member pivots is above said flat member-receiving surface.
 9. The device of claim 8 wherein each support means has a beveled surface extending outwardly of the storage magazine from the innermost edge of said flat member-receiving surface, said beveled surface adapted to contact the adjacent edge of the uppermost flat member in a stack of flat members and/or the adjacent edge of the bottom wall of the storage magazine and to be rotated thereby outwardly of the storage magazine whereby the flat member supported thereby is gently released onto the uppermost flat member in the stack or the bottom wall of the storage magazine.
 10. The device of claim 9 further including movable actuator means supported by said side plate adjacent each support member, the lower portion of each of said actuator means adapted to contact the upper portion of each of said support members adjacent thereto above and to the outside of the point about which said support member pivots, whereby, when said actuator means is caused by means external thereto to come in contact with the upper portion of said support member, the support member will be rotated inwardly toward the storage magazine and said flat member-receiving surface thereof will be horizontally positioned.
 11. The device of claim 10 further including means to limit the inward rotation of each of said support members whereby said flat member-receiving surface is prevented from rotating past the horizontal, receiving position.
 12. The device of claim 1 wherein each of said cam follower means is free to rotate downwardly from the horizontal when said cam follower means contacts the lowermost portion of said cam means as said transport means moves in said first direction.
 13. The device of claim 1 wherein each of said cam follower means has a groove therein, each of said cam means has a tongue associated therewith, each of said cam follower means adapted to contact said cam means adjacent thereto whereby said tongue falls within said groove during movement of said cam follower means over said cam means.
 14. The device of claim 1 further including vertical guide means to guide the vertical movement of said lowering device as said cam follower means engage the adjacent surfaces of said cam means.
 15. The device of claim 1 wherein said essentially flat member comprises a xerographic plate.
 16. The device of claim 1 wherein said essentially flat member comprises a xerographic plate having a pair of side rails secured to opposite edge portions thereof.
 17. A device for lowering a flat member from a first, uppeR level to a second, lower level in a magazine for the storage of a plurality of like flat members, said device comprising a pair of opposed vertical side plates, each of said side plates having an inverted, substantially V-shaped cam secured to the outer vertical surfaces thereof, means connected to said side plates and facing inwardly of said side plates for receiving and supporting an essentially flat member thereon, means to upwardly bias said opposed vertical side plates, means to transport the flat member in a first direction along a horizontal path until the flat member is positioned between said side plates and supported by said support means, cam follower means connected to said transport means, said cam follower means adapted to travel past said inverted cam without causing vertical movement of said side plates and said support means secured thereto as the flat member is being positioned on said support means, means to reverse the direction of travel of said transport means, said reversal causing said cam follower means to engage the upper, sloped surfaces of said inverted cam whereby, until said cam follower means reaches the apex of said inverted cam, the flat member supported by said support means is lowered in a planar, vertical fashion and deposited on the upper surface of the bottom wall of the storage magazine or on the uppermost flat member in a stack of flat members and, as said cam follower means moves over the downwardly sloping leg of said inverted cam, said side plates and said flat member support means secured thereto are returned, under the action of said upwardly biasing means, to their initial position.
 18. The device of claim 17 wherein said support means comprises a pair of opposed support members, each support member being pivotally mounted on the side plate adjacent thereto such that said support members are not rotated downwardly when a flat member is positioned thereon and remain in deflected positions until reset to the flat member-receiving position by means external thereto, each of said support members having a flat member-receiving surface for supporting opposed portions of a flat member placed in position thereon, the point about which each support member pivots being above said flat member-receiving surface, each support member having a beveled surface extending outwardly of the storage magazine from the innermost edge of said flat member-receiving surface, said beveled surface adapted to contact the adjacent edge of the uppermost flat member in a stack of flat members and/or the adjacent edge of the bottom wall of the storage magazine and to be rotated thereby outwardly of the storage magazine whereby the flat member supported thereby is gently released onto the uppermost flat member in the stack or the bottom wall of the storage magazine.
 19. The device of claim 18 further including movable actuator means supported by said side plate adjacent each support member, the lower portion of each of said actuator means adapted to contact the upper portion of each of said support members adjacent thereto above and to the outside of the point about which said support member pivots, whereby, when said actuator means is caused by the upward movement of said device to come in contact with the upper portion of said support member, the support member will be rotated inwardly toward the storage magazine and said flat member-receiving surface will be horizontally positioned, and means for limiting the inward rotation of each of said support members whereby said flat member-receiving surface is prevented from rotating past the horizontal, receiving position.
 20. The device of claim 17 wherein the leg of said inverted cam which permits said device to be returned to its initial position is terminated at a point above the lowermost point of the other leg, whereby, during the last portion of the vertical movement of said device, said device moves free of restraint from said cam follower means. 